Here's something that was brought to my attention by Onigiri, someone from another site.

She said:

There is a disturbing trend in thewebdesign community which, I'm ashamed to say, has only recently cometo my attention. In fact, I was part of it before I had my epiphany.

I'm talking about violation of copyright, specifically, the use ofcopyrighted illustrations (usually anime) in web layouts, avatars, etc.To most webdesigners, there is nothing wrong with this practice;however, most webdesigners don't take into consideration the fact thatthe picture they're using might be copyrighted. To them, all thatmatters is that they have a "cool" website layout.

Two problems arise here. The first is, of course, theft. How manywebdesigners do you know that actually step into the artist's shoes andconsider that the artist might not want his art to spread all over theInternet, and at best, the only credit given to him is "All images onthis site copyright their original artists" or at worst, nothing at all?

The second problem is originality. If everyone is using images from aPSD/PNG gallery like the kinds you find at Aethereality or Digik, hissite can never truly be original, no matter how many different brusheshe smears onto his layout. "But I can't draw very well!" somewebdesigners might protest. That's still no reason to steal someoneelse's art, which the artist might have put hours or even days intomaking. Besides, "beauty is in the eye of the beholder". Webdesigners,how do you know that someone won't like your layout better because youuse original art? Personally, I am sick and tired of all those sitesout there that use essentially the same anime characters over and overand over. It's an endless stream of Naruto, InuYasha, Fruits Basket,Bleach, etc. Blah. It would be a welcome and refreshing change ifpeople just took a little time to make their own art instead of takingthe lazy way.

Of course, this problem also applies to the webdesigners who make"celebrity" layouts or avatars. Unless the photos are public domain(which I'm pretty sure most are not), people should not be using themon their websites.

Webdesigners, putting in a little effort in making your ownillustrations would benefit everyone: the artists, because they won'thave to see the illustrations they worked long and hard at appear on asite without due credit being given; your visitors, because they won'thave to see the same illustrations on dozens of other sites; andfinally, you, because you'll have the satisfaction of making your owngraphics instead of stealing someone else's. "The journey of a thousandmiles begins with a single step"; the web can be made a much betterplace if every webdesigner did his small part of just being original.

My goals might seem a little quixotic, but the chances of my making achange would be smaller still if I had done nothing at all.

OK this is very long. I'm sorry ^^;;;I'm still a little confused. I understand perfectly how if someone took hours to make something, you shouldn't seal it. That makes perfect since. I also understand how it's not fair to steal it just because you can't draw. That's true too. Also, you shouldn't just steal a picture when it has a price on the bottom, or when it's something like a picture in deviantart that they worked forever on and they don't want anyone to steal.but...I roleplay in "Warriors" websites-by Erin Hunter. Everyone takes avatars from websites like warriorswish, which takes pictures form the series and makes them into avatars, and they give credit to Erin, and she KNOWS this is all going on because she's been to Warriors websites, and she'd have to live under a rock to not notice her series is all over the Internet.Not only that, but when you go to a forum there's all these copyright issues, where they tell you that if you steal a picture-you face the consecuences. That makes since. But then you go to a section of that same forum and it'll lead to something like: http://www.phpbb-design.com/templates/Um, the avatars there are the same anime faces. The person who own that website didn't draw those avatars. So when is it really illegal?I see avatars all the time that the person themselves didn't make. They take a picture of some character they like, and then crop up the head and use it. I see it all the time in other forums. It's all so confusing. I can understand how it's bad to steal a picture from someone who made it, but when it's something like an anime character, is it really all that bad? Everywhere you see Naruto, Bleach, etc avatars, and they don't get in trouble. ( That I know of.) Wouldn't someone like a anime artist be flattered to see their works all over the Internet? Especially if it's directly from the official website, where they seem to practically beg you to take their wallpapers since it's right there?Like I said, I understand that you shouldn't steal something someone spent hours on because you can't draw...but stuff like anime avatars, other TV show avatars, and game avatars? Isn't that supposed to be everywhere?

OK, sorry for my long rant. And I don't want to seem bad; if it's illegal I won't do it. I'm not trying to be mean! I'm actually a really nice person! I'm just thoroughly confused about all this.If I can understand how it's not fair I won't do it...it's just, that's what I'm wondering about it.

Her answer:

According to your post, Erin Hunter knows all about the use of her images on the Internet. In that case, I suppose it would be okay, since she hasn't said anything (however, I myself would still not use her images, since it would still technically be a violation of copyright.) However, due to the popularity of some mangas/animes, it would be nearly impossible for the artist to keep know of all the websites/Internet graphics that use his/her images (for example, there are Inuyasha layouts galore out there - there is no way the artist could know about all of them.)

You said, "Wouldn't someone like an anime artist be flattered to see their works all over the Internet?" Perhaps. But then again, we shouldn't assume anything. What if the artist only wanted his art to be confined to the media of comics? Bill Watterson felt that the use of "Calvin and Hobbes" images everywhere would cheapen the original comic.

You also said, "Especially if it's directly from the official website, where they seem to practically beg you to take their wallpapers since it's right there?" Again, that would be assuming - assuming that the artist would allow the wallpaper to be used for things other than decorating a desktop.

"Like I said, I understand that you shouldn't steal something someone spent hours on because you can't draw...but stuff like anime avatars, other TV show avatars, and game avatars? Isn't that supposed to be everywhere?"The popularity of an artist's art does not give people license to use it anywhere they want. The rules that apply to your average DeviantArt member should apply to a famous artist as well. The only difference between them is popularity, and copyright does not take that into account.

Sorry if I seemed a little harsh. I don't think people who use copyrighted images are "bad"; I just think that they should see things from the artist's point of view - walk a mile in his shoes, as it were. Besides, which would you rather have - every other layout an anime layout with the same characters over and over, or each layout unique?

----------------------------------------SOOO what's the point of me putting this here? I just want to bring this to your attention. Because she's right and the rule is the rule. Please only use avatars from our gallery or custom made avatars!!!